Need Some Help fixing up my boat.

Need Help puttin a deck type thing on the front of my 12 ft flat bottom boat. Dont know what to use.. Ply Wood ETC. And then want to install a 8 inch pedostole swivel seat on the front. and then this boat can only have a 2hp outboard on it. i want it about 5 ft long and how ever wide my boat is. what do i use? carpeting? how thick ETC. thank you.

there is a picture of what the boat lookslike
its a 12 ft flat bottom...3 seater...

 

I would suggest spanning the first and second seats with plywood and leave the bow area open. This would provide better stability than having it in the very bow and is also a lot simpler to do.

 

I agree with Gilbert. I used to have an aluminum jon boat with plywood decking - it had 2x4 reinforcing below the plywood - I'd use 5/8" or 3/4".

 

3/8 or 1/2 inch is fine unless you have steel knees,,,,it gives a little easyer

 

Your boat is more than stable enough to tolerate a wooden foredeck area. With a 2 HP engine you're lucky to get 5 or 6 MPH out of her, so weight isn't that big an issue. Screw down a 3/4" piece of pressure treated plywood (stainless screws) to the forward seat and little flat area just aft of the bow.

This is a heavy piece of wood and will flex a little under foot. A stiffer setup and maybe a touch lighter would be to add a couple of 2 x 4 stiffeners, between the forward landing and seat. Not on top of them, just in between, screwed to the plywood, which then can be 1/2". Pick out the nicest looking piece of plywood, as free of defects as possible (it will all look pretty crappy compared to good stuff) No warps or weird twists, etc. You may have to go through a stack or two at the lumber store. Position the 2 x 4 stiffeners to be under the edges of the pedestal base, so at least one screw on each side (two on each side it much better) hits the 2 x 4's. This will make a stiff and reasonably light foredeck.

Carpet will make it rot out pretty fast, so paint both sides and the edges real well and apply some "traction" strips, a tape that has a grit built into it, so you don't slip around on fish guts and stuff. You could also use a textured paint, designed just for this application, but strips are pretty cheap and easy to put on. You could get fancy and build in bait wells and storage, but now you're getting into some real weight and this isn't the best place to add weight to a very under powered boat. Good Luck . . .

 

I will tell you about the NEW pressure treated wood,, like par says use stainless steel screws,I built a privacy fence on my back deck and used hot dip galvinized screws,,,,2 years later the acid in the wood has eaten them to the point of no return,and yes since you wont be on this boat for days at a time the 3/4 inch board is ok.I just prefer 3/8 to 1/2 inch because it gives a little more,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the old pressuer treated wood had good stuff in it like arsinic and cromion, you know like for playgrounds and such, the new stuff has stuff I know nothing about,,,,but now that PAR is back listen to him ,,,,he knows ,,,,,,,longliner

 

Aw shucks, John . . .

 

dammit boy; Ill get you back later. longliner

 

Now Now Children. Behave!